Not What It Seems
by LetTheRadioBreakTheSilence
Summary: Hey, it's Shane. I'm glad you liked the movie, but...that's not exactly how it happened. Wanna know what REALLY happened? SMITCHIE.


**A/N: I've been thinking about this idea as a multi-chapter for awhile, but I just can't stretch it out that far. So I just sat down and wrote it, it is what it is. I hope you enjoy it!**

Hey, guys. So, you saw the movie, right? It was good and everything…but that's not exactly how it happened. I mean, it was mostly true, but they left some stuff out. And they changed the ending a little. I understand why – it _is _a Disney Channel movie and all. But still, I thought you might still want to know the _whole _story. Because, really, Camp Rock did change me. Consider this the _E! True Hollywood Story _of Shane Gray.

Now, before we get to the stuff I know you guys _really_ want to hear about – Mitchie – I think we need to go back a little bit so you get where I'm coming from. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself – I was an asshole. But I wasn't always an asshole.

I'd been dating this girl named Ashlee for almost a year. But about a month before the 'incident' that got me sent to Camp Rock, she started acting weird. She was really distant, and she'd blow up at me for the littlest things. I tried to talk to her about it all the time, but she always said everything was fine. It really got to me, and yeah, I guess I was taking it out on the people around me. But none of them asked me what was wrong, either – they just assumed I was getting an ego.

Now let's fast forward to the video shoot. Ashlee was in it – she played my love interest. But every time we'd take a break and I'd try to talk to her, I could never find her. She just disappeared. When we finally had a longer break for lunch, I went to look for her. And I found her…half-naked with our drummer. All of the sudden, how she'd been acting made a lot more sense. She'd been cheating on me and I didn't even suspect it.

When we came back from lunch break, I tried to push it out of my mind until we were finished. I was a professional, I thought I could handle it. But I couldn't. I tried, but when it came to the point in the video where I had to kiss her, I just lost it. I stormed off the set. I explained what happened to the guys later, and they understood, but the label didn't want to hear it. The only thing they cared about was how it looked to the media. I couldn't make it look any better without explaining what had happened, but I was embarrassed enough that I hadn't realized what was going on. I wasn't about to share it with the entire world. So I was off to Camp Rock.

When I got there…well, you saw the movie. That's pretty much how it went, in the beginning. I was just trying to get the hell out of there, and then all those girls started chasing me! I'm a _rock_ star, not a _track_ star. So I hid behind some bushes. And then…I heard it. _The voice_. I have _never _heard anyone sing like that. And I was going to find that girl if it was the last thing I did.

So I taught some classes, whatever. And then I was playing my guitar by the lake one day, and this girl came up and started talking to me – Mitchie. She was kind of shy, but definitely cute. And this is where the movie skips _a lot_. But don't worry, that's why I'm here.

So, like I said, Mitchie was cute. And maybe I was still a little bitter about being cheated on. If I had to be here all summer, I might as well get some, right? I wasn't looking for a relationship or anything…I'd had enough of that with Ashlee to last me for a lonnnng time. But that didn't mean I had to be a saint all summer, either. I had a class to teach in a few minutes – not that I really cared, but my uncle would've killed me if I skipped another one – so I got Mitchie's cell phone number and told her I'd call her later.

I waited until about ten before I called her. I asked her if she wanted to come over to my cabin to hang out. She said, "It's so nice outside, let's take a walk." I told her that it was dark out, and we shouldn't be walking around in the woods at night. She said, "What, are you scared?"

I was really annoyed that this girl didn't understand the concept of a booty call. Or maybe she _did_ understand and was just screwing me around. I wasn't sure. But, I was a guy, and when a girl asks us if we're scared, we have to prove we're not. I think it's a law or something. So we went for a walk down by the lake, and it was actually really nice. She was cool. She made me laugh. And her mom was the president of Hot Tunes TV China. It was so nice to have someone to talk to who understood how hard it was sometimes, when you never knew who you could trust. I started thinking that maybe this summer wouldn't be so bad after all. We sat on the dock for awhile and talked, and then I kissed her. I don't even remember how or when we got back to my cabin, but…well, you can guess what happened next. Let's just say Mitchie's not as innocent as they make her seem in the movie.

After that night, we were pretty much inseparable. Mitchie was great, and I know I said I wasn't looking for a relationship, but I really started falling for her. I almost forgot about the girl with the voice. When I'd first heard her sing, I wanted her to win Final Jam so bad, so I could record with her – whoever she was. But now, I wanted Mitchie to win just so I could spend more time with her after Camp Rock ended. I'd never even heard her sing before – she always got too nervous. But she was here, so obviously she was pretty good. I didn't even care if she could sing or not, really.

Here's another thing the movie got wrong: I wrote "Gotta Find You" _for_ Mitchie. I did sing it to her by the lake, that much was true. It was about a month after we'd first…hung out. That song took me forever to write, because I wanted it to be perfect for her. And I think it was. She loved it. And I…well, I really, _really _liked her.

A couple weeks later, Mitchie spent the night. We were lying in bed talking, and somehow I ended up telling her about the girl with the voice. She told me that I should try to find her. I guess she didn't think much of it, but I wasn't sure I should do it. I know it sounds stupid, but I thought I could fall in love with that voice. And that would have really complicated things for me. I liked everything how it was, anyways. I pretended to look, but not very hard. Trust me – if I _really _wanted to find her, I would have.

When the guys came out to perform with me, I was so excited to introduce them to Mitchie. I wanted to sing this other song I had written for her, but Uncle Brown wanted us to play something "fun." I didn't realize how much I missed playing with the guys over the summer, and when I got offstage, I was on such a high. I had every intention of walking write up to Mitchie and telling her that I had fallen in love with her. But then…

"I mean, I know she's president of Hot Tunes TV China, but tell me again about how important she is."

Oh, God. Mitchie was talking to Tess. Tess is such a bitch. Seriously, whatever she was saying to Mitchie, I can't imagine it was nice. I could probably get Mitchie out of this, if I could get through the damn crowd that was forming around them.

"And?"

"And…she's not…the president of Hot Tunes TV China," Mitchie admitted.

Huh?

"What's that? She's not…president? You mean…you lied to everybody? So, she's what? A vice-president? Treasurer? Go on, tell us."

What was going on? Mitchie looked like she was about to cry. I was about to interrupt whatever the hell was going on and wrap my arms around her, but after I heard what she said, I was too shocked.

"A…cook?" Tess asked, feigning shock. "At Hot Tunes China."

"No…here," Mitchie whispered.

She _lied _to me? This whole time, she was _lying_?

"So, you lied. Your mom cooks our food, and you help her. That's the only way you can afford this camp, right? Come on, guys. Mitchie has dishes to do."

I watched Tess walk away, and I couldn't even move. Mitchie turned around and looked at me, tears brimming her eyes. She lied to me. I thought I was fucking in love with her? I didn't even know her.

"Shane…"

"You were lying all summer," I said, more to myself than to her. I was just trying to keep the pieces of my heart together, at least until I got back to my cabin. "You know, I'm so used to people pretending around me…and I really thought you were different. But you're just like everyone else. You wanted to be friends with Shane Gray, not me. The joke's on me, isn't it? Save it for your interview with Pop Informer Magazine. I know I gave you an earful."

I barely left my cabin for the rest of camp. I didn't want to see her. I didn't want to see anybody. But I still couldn't stop thinking about her. Even if her mom wasn't who she said she was, Mitchie was still pretty much the same, right? Maybe. I didn't know. So, I decided to find the girl with the voice instead. Whoever she was, she would make me feel better.

I sat through Final Jam, waiting for the girl with the voice. She wasn't there. I put on a fake smile for the crowd as we ran backstage to do the final judging, but I really didn't want to be there. I didn't see Mitchie there. I wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. I don't think I was still _mad_…maybe hurt. What is it with girls? Every girl I fall in love with breaks my heart. But it didn't feel right, leaving camp without seeing her again.

And then, I heard it. The voice. It was her. I turned around to see her…and it was Mitchie. Seeing her up there and hearing her voice, I couldn't be mad. I couldn't even be hurt. I loved her, and I wanted to tell her. But first, I wanted to sing with her.

When we'd finally given out the award and I got backstage to see her, I didn't even know what to say. Well, that's a lie – there was only one thing _to _say. I told you they totally changed the ending, remember?

"Hey, Shane," Mitchie smiled nervously at me as I approached her.

"Mitchie, hey. Listen, I need to talk to you."

"What's up?" she asked obliviously.

I knew she felt the same way I did, though. This summer had been incredible.

"I, um…" How do you just tell someone that you love them? Maybe I could be cool about it. "I was, just…look, I'm going on tour in a couple weeks. Come with me."

Smooth, Shane. _Reaaallll_ smooth…

"What? Shane, I have school and…"

"Okay, yeah, that was a stupid thing to say. Sorry. I just mean…" Don't screw it up again. "I just…can we just go back to how we were before all this happened?"

Mitchie looked at me blankly. "What do you mean?"

God, she wasn't making this easy, was she? "I mean…Mitchie, I love you."

Her jaw dropped. That was a good sign, I think. She was speechless.

"Shane…" she started. "I am _so _sorry."

Um…what? That wasn't how this was supposed to go.

"What are you talking about? Sorry for what?" I asked hesitantly.

She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "Shane, if I knew this meant more to you than…if I knew you felt that way…"

What the hell was she trying to say?

"What did it mean to you?"

"Shane…I thought this was just a fling to you," she explained.

"Well, it's not, Mitchie," I smiled.

I tried to kiss her, but she pulled away. She looked at me sympathetically. Oh my God…s_he felt sorry for me._

"I have a boyfriend, Shane. We decided that since we were going to be apart for the summer, we could do whatever, but now I'm going home…now I'm going back to him."

Forget what I said earlier – Ashlee didn't break my heart. I didn't even know what heartbreak was until that moment.

"But, Mitchie…I love you," I told her.

I sounded pathetic. But I couldn't be hearing her right. Not after this summer. She loved me. She loved me. She _had _to love me. Maybe if I just kept telling myself that, I would wake up, and this would all be a dream. This couldn't really be happening. No. She was just kidding. This was a joke. She was about to tell me that she really did love me, she was just messing with me.

"I love you, Mitchie," I said again.

She touched my cheek softly and sighed again. "But I love him, Shane."

I could have gone back to being an asshole. As soon as I told Nate and Jason what happened, I think that's what they expected me to do. But do you remember why I'm telling you this story in the first place? Because Camp Rock changed me. Because Mitchie changed me. I have never been hurt like I was the last time I saw Mitchie. But I've never felt as incredible as I did when I was with her, either. So yeah, I could have decided that I would never love again and be an asshole. I could hook up with random girls and never speak to them again. But instead, I chose to keep looking. Maybe there will be someone else, someday, who I'll love even more than I loved Mitchie. There's only one way to find out, right?

So there you have it. That's what really happened at Camp Rock. See you next summer.


End file.
